> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.uplifter.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I add an athlete to a waitlist myself?

> Put an athlete on a full program's or session's waitlist from their profile, with nothing billed until they're promoted.

<Note>
  **Must know**

  * **Where it lives.** **Add to waitlist** is offered in the **Program is full** (or **Session is full**) prompt of the athlete's **Enroll in Program** tray.
  * **Nothing is billed when you add.** The family pays only if the athlete is promoted, and session waitlist promotions are free.
  * **The program's waitlist must be on.** Staff adds aren't limited by **Maximum Waitlist Size**.
  * **Charge-at-join clubs.** When the add would collect a payment up front, the tray refuses it: ask the family to join from the program page.
</Note>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the athlete's profile">
    Go to **Athletes > Directory**, open the athlete, and click the **Programs** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick the program">
    Click **Enroll in Program**, pick the program, and click **Continue**. A program sold both whole and by the session asks for an **Enrollment type**: **Drop-in sessions** (the default) or **Entire program**, which skips picking sessions. A program sold only by the session skips this step. For drop-in sessions, pick the sessions and click **Continue**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Add to waitlist">
    When the program or a picked session is full, a prompt titled **Program is full** reads "This program is at capacity (\[X]/\[Y]). Enrolling anyway will exceed the program's capacity limit." (A full session shows **Session is full**, with "session" and "Registering anyway" in the text.) Click **Add to waitlist**, not **Enroll anyway** (**Register anyway** for a session).
  </Step>
</Steps>

While it saves, the prompt's buttons grey out and the tray's button behind it reads **Adding to waitlist...**. **Added to the waitlist** confirms it and the tray closes. If the add is blocked, a message says why.

**What gets created.** For the whole program, the athlete gets a **Waitlisted** enrollment at the back of the line, with no recurring charge. For sessions, every session you picked goes under **Session waitlists** on the program's **Waitlist** tab, even one that still has room, so pick only the full ones.

**When it's refused.** With the program's waitlist off, you see "The waitlist is not enabled for this program." [Turn it on](/club/waitlists/how-do-i-turn-on-a-waitlist-for-a-program) first. If your club collects the program fee or a required membership at join (**Settings > Registration > Waitlists**), the tray can't take that payment yet: have the family join from the program page, or change the timing.

**Maximum Waitlist Size.** It limits only family joins from your club website, so you can add past it.

**One session only.** You can also open the session from the program's **Sessions** tab and click **Add trial athlete**. When the session is full and the program's waitlist is on, the athlete goes on that session's waitlist.

**Promoting them.** They move up like anyone else: click **Promote** on the program's **Waitlist** tab, or let **Automatic Promotion** move them when it's on.

**Related:** [How do I manually promote an athlete off the waitlist?](/club/waitlists/how-do-i-manually-promote-an-athlete-off-the-waitlist) · [How do I promote someone from a session waitlist?](/club/waitlists/how-do-i-promote-someone-from-a-session-waitlist) · [How do I limit the size of a waitlist?](/club/waitlists/how-do-i-limit-the-size-of-a-waitlist) · [How do I choose when families pay for a waitlist?](/club/waitlists/choose-when-families-pay-for-a-waitlist)